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Hearing on Donegal zoning turns volatile

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Zoning, a polarizing issue in Donegal Township, hit a high level of vitriol at a public hearing Monday night.

Township supervisors and several audience members, some from the citizens group Donegal Freedom Group, exchanged heated words during a 90-minute hearing at the municipal building that drew about 25 people.

Supervisors have twice approved the zoning plan that was the focus of Monday’s public hearing, but the measure has been challenged in court by the Freedom Group, which is opposed to zoning.

That group requested a permanent injunction against the proposal, and will have a hearing at 1 p.m. Dec. 20 before Judge Damon Faldowski in Washington County Common Pleas Court.

The supervisors will meet at 7 that night, when the zoning ordinance and map could be up for adoption.

Donegal, which was formed in 1781 when Washington County came into being, has never had zoning.

Attorney Michael Cruny opened the hearing by outlining the zoning proposal. Supervisor Doug Teagarden then spoke, lamenting what he considers a long, agonizing process toward enacting the plan.

“It seems like we’ve worked on zoning for a long time – two years this month,” he said. “The planning commission approved (the proposal) and we approved it. Facts don’t change, whether we go with this exact ordinance or polish it up.

“There are people against it, who don’t want zoning at all. That’s no compromise. We can continue to work on this two months, four months, six months and make it work.”

Michael Smith of the Freedom Group stood up a short while later and lit into Teagarden and the other supervisors, Zach Prescott and David Ealy, saying they “were in such a hurry, had such a chip on their shoulders to pass” the proposal and “shoved it down our throats.”

Smith and Teagarden are brothers-in-law.

Donegal’s board of supervisors will expand to five in January, with four new members joining the only holdover, Teagarden.

Those four new supervisors are Freedom Group members who were elected a month ago and will assume office after the New Year: Democrats Kathleen Wright Croft and Tammi Iams and Republicans Smith and Ed Shingle Jr.

Smith said that sweep is a reflection of how residents feel about their representation.

“The township spoke. They would have voted in nine if they could have,” Smith said to the board. “They didn’t want to see (a zoning plan) implemented the way you did it. You were rude and obnoxious, and that’s very sad. You still live here.

“We’ve held it up – I admit that. If you wouldn’t have rammed it through … it’s your fault, Doug, the way you went about it.

“In January, with four new members in, this (ordinance) will be gone. We will clean up the ordinance book and make it the way it should be.”

Prescott, much later, took umbrage at Smith’s “rude and obnoxious” remark, asking for a specific example. That prompted a brief spat between the men.

Freedom Group member J.D. Martin echoed Smith’s sentiments, saying, “It’s sad what’s come out of this. You have neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, relative against relative. It’s not necessarily zoning, but the way it’s done.”

Another resident, Katherine Prescott, rose and disputed the Freedom Group’s stance.

“Some of you don’t want rules,” she said. “Zoning protects everyone. Donegal residents should realize that zoning is necessary.”

Prescott, wife of the supervisor, cited the ethane cracker plant Shell is building in Beaver County as a reason zoning is needed. She said the cracker plant, and the potential for others, could lead to a lot of land development in Donegal.

“The area has the capacity for four more cracker plants,” she said. “This could turn Western Pennsylvania into a world-class economic hub. The (Beaver) plant may seem a long way from Donegal Township, but it’s 50 minutes by back roads. Why wouldn’t people here want a piece of the pie? But we need guidelines.”

Speaking later, she criticized the Freedom Group, saying, “The truth is you don’t want zoning at all. Every one of you came here and say you represent everyone. No, you don’t.”

The supervisors had a special meeting afterward. Among other things, the board passed a motion to advertise the zoning ordinance and map and consider them for adoption Dec. 20; approved the 2018 budget as presented; and accepted Cruny’s resignation as right-to-know officer.

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